BlackElan

[quote name='loweringthetone' post='957518' date='Sep 15 2010, 10:35 AM']Very nice indeed.

Any idea of the weight ? These can be quite chunky.[/quote]

Actually this is just under 10 pounds or 4.4kg, very light for a Wal especially a midi bass.

Sold

[quote name='Buzz' post='842056' date='May 19 2010, 05:53 AM']Very pretty.

I take it that it still has the signature and bespoke Wal pickups like the old original ones did?[/quote]

As far as I can tell they are the same electronics as the older Wals I think they may have to use lead free solder now, which is probably a good thing.

Only reason I could think that one would refinish a Wal in black is because they are a Metallica or Jason Newsted fan and they really wanted to have the bass from the "One" video.

I once contemplated painting a natural Wal fiver black for this very reason but don't tell anyone.

Sensors were built into the frets to avoid any Midi delay or other related problems like the Roland system may have had.

If I had a legitimate use or studio for this bass it would already be mine.

I always wanted one of these Midi Wals but I could never really justify the expense especially since I just got my brand new Wal from Paul.

I hope one of those kids from the Muse does not pick this thing up because it will just push the price of these things through the stratosphere.

[quote name='MB1' post='839027' date='May 16 2010, 09:20 AM']MB1.
Is there really that much audible difference tonewise in the lacquered and Unlacquered Wals?. Reason i ask is ive always quite fancied a blue lacquered 4.[/quote]

In all honesty probably not, I have owned plenty of great sounding Poly finished thick laquered bass guitars. I have only played naturaul satin finished Wals in the past so I wanted to be sure that I would be getting something similar tone wise.

[quote name='MB1' post='838824' date='May 16 2010, 05:15 AM']MB1.
Very Nice Bass!...did you not fancy getting it lacquered?..Or.. "should i have Gone to Specsavers" [/quote]

Only reason I did not get the gloss finish is because all the other Wals I had played were the same satin finish. A local luthier told me once that too thick of paint like Poly or more glossy laquers can take the naturual tone out of the wood.

I considered getting my second Wal in a gloss finish but decided against it, my next one will have a ebony board but otherwise similar specs.

[quote name='Dirty Soul' post='838534' date='May 15 2010, 03:44 PM']Stunning, simply stunning!




Did this cost you extra?[/quote]

To shave it down to a soft V was no extra charge but if I wanted a C shpae or something like a D it would have cost extra and Paul wanted specific dimensions if he was going to do that. I asked about doing a Jazz bass neck profile and he said I could send a neck in or give him specific measurements in order to do it.

I am very happy with the soft V shape, and if I had a choice between C, D or soft V on another bass I would do a soft V again.

After waiting many years on the list I it finally arrived in March of 2010, my brand new Wal. I posted pics on the other forum but thought I may as well post them over here. I liked this Mach II so much that I just ordered another one.

This one barely weighs 9lbs as I requested Paul to use lighter woods. I also had him shave down the V profile so it is a very soft V almost C shape on the neck.

What does your Wal weigh? I heard they can get very heavy.

I got Paul to make me a Wal Mach II that weighs under 10lbs, I just requested to use the lightest woods for the build.

[quote name='littleal' post='635329' date='Oct 24 2009, 06:02 AM']Anyone recieved their new Wal yet?[/quote]

Mine arrived.

Hope its OK to link to another forum but here it is:

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=638638"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=638638[/url]

Anyone here have a current pending order?

My bass should be ready some time after the first of the year but I had been on the list for a while.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='516169' date='Jun 17 2009, 02:01 AM']Ding Dong

I'm sure there comes a time where everyine grows out of playing a guitar with middle-finger-inlays.

Glad it worked out for you and you're getting a grown-up instrument [/quote]

You are spot on.

That is exactley the reasoning I used to convince myself to let it go. You should have seen the other hideous guitars I sold for stupid money.

Beleive it or not most of my "Metallica-ugly" style guitars like this went to parents that were buying these guitars for their kids. The Eet Fuk explorer did go to a grown up collector in the UK because I dont know if anyone's children are worth 5600 dollars.

Bad news is this thing sold on Ebay last month for 5600 US dollars.

Good news is Paul Herman contacted me about building me a new Wal mkII bass for 3300 pounds sterling so everything worked out perfect.

I have not had a chance to get the pedal board made or the ground control and switchers hooked up yet. I thought you may get a kick out of the pictures anyways so here you guys go.

[quote name='Beedster' post='453925' date='Apr 4 2009, 02:41 AM']

Coincidentally, my Fender Precision Bass is the one used by James Jamerson in all the Motown recordings and the Marvin Gaye live footage.

Not the exact one of course, but it's very like it. I'll trade it for a Wal.[/quote]

You have a Vintage P-bass? Thats pretty cool I would not trade it for a Wal.

This ESP explorer was a Hetfield signature model that was never supposed to be released. You cant just order a ESP explorer anymore unless you live in Japan.

So lets say you get a ESP explorer in Japan you cant get one with middle finger inlays even if you offer the custom shop there piles of cash.

Its not like I am selling any old explorer and saying its the same guitar Hetfield uses.

I can also pay cash for a Wal MkII I was hoping the ESP explorer would get someone who is hoarding all the Wals to step forward.

I edited the orignal post I did not mean to be misleading in the discription.

[quote name='vegas_hooker' post='453554' date='Apr 3 2009, 09:44 AM']Do you take kidneys or girlfriends as payment?[/quote]

Sorry both of those items will eventually fail on me unlike a ESP guitar or a Wal bass.

[quote name='jonthebass' post='452943' date='Apr 3 2009, 12:19 AM']Can I get this staight - Is this Hetfield's actual guitar from the video & tour or a 'sister' to that one?

Regards,
JTB[/quote]

In late 1989 and 1990 they made less than a handfull of these ESP "Eet Fuk" explorers and when Hetfield found out he was pissed because the inlay was his design and he did not want anyone else to have it.

Most of these were sold in Japan and one was sold to Europe, the owner of Jacksonmuseum owned one for a while. I beleive there were less than 10 made.

Hetfields actual Eat Fuk explorer has had the headstock broken multiple times and he recently used it in the recording sessions for Death Magnetic.

This of course is not Hetfield's but one of the few that got released before Hetfield found out.

I have been looking for a Wal Mk II 4 string for a very long time in a natural finish.

I am willing to trade one of my most prized and rare guitars for a Wal MkII in hopefully a birdseye maple top but am open to other tops as well.


This was what James Hetfield used in the "One" video as well as most of the Damaged Justice tour. Yes this is a real set neck not a bolt on like the other Metallica sigs ESP put out in the past. Edited to add: I mean it is exactley like the one Hetifield used not THE one he uses since he still owns it. Sorry for the confusion





I would also like to add my E-mail so you can contact me at [email protected] and I can give you my Ebay ID so you can view my feedback.

[quote name='Josh' post='437234' date='Mar 17 2009, 06:33 AM']You extremely lucky bugger!

And finally someone who's on par with me regarding Jason and Cliff.

And as such my question is this, have you actually got any photo evidence of Cliff using the Alembic Spolier?

And Welcome Jason![/quote]

Yes he used a Alembic spoiler and it was all black. It got stolen out of his car in Castro Valley in 85.

[quote name='bassaussie' post='437212' date='Mar 17 2009, 06:25 AM']Hi Jason, welcome to the forum.

Something I've always been curious about. Jason Newstead is known for his use of top end instruments - Wals, Alembics, Sadowskys etc. Which instruments do you think gave Jason his best sound with Metallica?[/quote]

I have seen Metallica live at almost every single show from 91 to 2000 here in the Bay area. I even got to see the S&M show in person.

The best Newsted sound I have heard was from his Alembics with Series II electronics from the 91-93 era. It was a very "lead" sound.

I would have to say the best sounding show overall was there 91 show I saw at the Cow Palace.

I never saw him use his Wals in person but I was never impressed with their sounds of the bootlegs I heard from 88-89.

When he was using the Spectors for a short time I could not really hear them so I will withhold judgement. The Sadowsky basses I would say were his second best overall sound.

Justin Chancellor was the one that really got me into Wal basses as well as Geddy.

[quote name='jonthebass' post='437094' date='Mar 17 2009, 05:13 AM']Hello Jason and welcome to our forum.

I'm interested in the spec of your Newstead Elan as I know next to nothing about them, any pictures, specs, etc you can share with us?

'Cheers'
Jon.[/quote]

The Alembic Elan Jason Newsted used was 5 string and had a pickup config of J-P-J. The Elan wad a maple body and neck with purple heart laminate. 3 volume knobs, q switch and a pan filter knob with gold hardware. It can be seen in this video from 89.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysy4_Sx3iew"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysy4_Sx3iew[/url]

In 1991 the Elan was upgraded to Alembic series II electronics along with his other Alembics plus he received a batch of brand new ones. They were presented to him on the day of the kick off for the Black Album tour during the Oakland, California Day on the Green. Here you can see his 6 string series II Europa.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfTUipdWRs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfTUipdWRs[/url]

After 91 all his Alembics had Series II electronics which is a 7000 US dollar upcharge. They were also fitted with black hardware and LEDs.

I had found that if I wanted the Elan I had to decide what "Era" I wanted to copy. I chose the 89 Alembic Elan. I thought it looked nicer with gold hardware plus cheaper since it does not have the series II electronics.

All his basses were painted a color called "Almost Black" since you could see a flamed maple top if you were within 2 feet of the bass. From far away they look like they were painted solid black.